Instead of using a simple lifetime average, Udemy calculates a course's star rating by considering a number of different factors such as the number of ratings, the age of ratings, and the likelihood of fraudulent ratings.

Geology: Earth Science for Everyone

This is the ultimate geology crash-course, you'll learn about the magic of Earth's inner workings concisely and easily.

4.2
(378 ratings)

Instead of using a simple lifetime average, Udemy calculates a course's star rating by considering a number of different factors such as the number of ratings, the age of ratings, and the likelihood of fraudulent ratings.

This ambitious course in Earth Science is the first of its kind. DJ Lake inspires wonder, explaining challenging scientific concepts clearly and easily.

Starting billions of years ago at the beginning of time, we bring you right to the present day. The veil is lifted on why the Earth works as it does, how we know what we know about our planet, and how all this affects your daily experience of the world.

This course is an introduction to Earth Science topics through the history of geology and chemistry. It is aimed at giving the student knowledge of why and how we know what we know in Earth Science. If you are looking for a course that will teach you identification of common rocks & minerals, you might find another course more appropriate because the focus here is big-picture ideas.

We'll answer the fundamental questions...

How are mountains made?

Why do oceans exist?

What is a crystal?

How old is the Earth?

and many more…

Who is the target audience?

Beginners: You are curious about rocks and geology, but aren't sure where to begin…Look no further!

Intermediate Students: You have some previous geological knowledge but you will certainly benefit from the higher level content included in this course.

Earth Scientists: You already know the science, but think of this course as "all the interesting history they left out of First-Year Geology." I explore some interesting, offbeat avenues. Chances are, you'll learn something tangential!

Geology has been studied in a limited manner since antiquity. What are the big questions? Where do we begin?

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Beginnings, Basics & Historical Age of Earth

08:34

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SUMMARY

In this lecture we explore the Scottish Enlightenment and how sociopolitical conditions led to immense academic progress in geology. James Hutton, the father of modern geology, is introduced and we discover the importance of the unconformity.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons, NASA/JPL

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

James Hutton & Unconformities

05:06

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SUMMARY

The concept of an unconformity is pivotal to the understanding of geologic time. Join me for a virtual field trip to a really neat unconformity.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Virtual Field Trip: The Unconformity

03:54

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SUMMARY

We are still working on that same old problem...How old is the Earth? Lord Kelvin was an interesting figure in 19th century science. We will discuss his contributions, and the various problems encountered by other 19th century earth scientists.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Kelvin's Heat Death

10:08

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SUMMARY

In geology we study the firmament: rocks. But what are rocks anyway? We need to delve into the atomic structure of matter before we can truly understand the interactions of rocks, crystals, and minerals.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

What Is Matter?

11:15

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Rocks, Chemistry, and Matter!

5 Lectures
42:58

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SUMMARY

This lesson could alternatively be called: What you may or may not remember from high school chemistry. Radioactivity is an interesting phenomenon in nature. It is also crucial to geologists. Let's delve deep into the history of the sciences!

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Chondrites

04:19

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Why Are There Oceans and Continents?

5 Lectures
32:59

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SUMMARY

Although we mainly think of planet "Earth", it would be more aptly called planet "Ocean". Most of the world is covered in water, and 99% of the liveable space is underwater!
What does this mean for earth scientists?

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons, Blue Marble: NASA/JPL

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Blue Earth

05:41

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SUMMARY

The Swiss Alps are a traditional place of study for geologists. The formations are structurally complex, and a lot of pioneering work in geology was done in the Alps. We'll see what secrets those jagged peaks have reluctantly let slip.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

The Alps

07:00

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SUMMARY

Have you ever noticed the nearly jigsaw puzzle fit of the continents? Check it out on a map, it's neat. Lots of scientists through history have picked up on that as well. In this lecture we'll see what the shape of continents implies…

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits:

Wikimedia Commons, Fossil Belts Diagram: USGS

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Jigsaw Earth

07:31

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SUMMARY

The ocean deeps are a mysterious place - in some ways more mysterious than space. War and political circumstances have historically provided funding for naval navigation. We'll look at the results, stemming from wartime bathymetric surveys, on the progress of earth science.

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits:

Wikimedia Commons, World Bathymetry Compilation: NASA/JPL

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Submarines & Mapping the Deep

03:21

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SUMMARY

In medicine, we use X-rays and any number of other imaging techniques to see inside the body. Earth science has its own toolkit and we use it to look inside the Earth. Imagine doing an "ultrasound" on our planet...We can! What do we find inside the Earth?

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Image Credits:

Wikimedia Commons, Example Seismic Profile-USGS

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Explosive Seafloor Research

09:26

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Open Ocean

2 Lectures
11:36

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SUMMARY

What is actually out there on the ocean floors, thousands of kilometres from shore? Oceanographers and others have actually dragged seafloor dredges far out at sea to answer that question. They find the occasional rock, but not just any old kind of rock!

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod-Earth Prelude, Finding a Balance, Death of Kings 2

Divergent Margins

09:38

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SUMMARY

Let's put together some of the things we've learned and apply ourselves to a real problem. How did the Rocky Mountains form? We can't hope to answer that question fully in an 11 minute lesson, but let's at least cover the main thrust of the concept and see how geologists might approach such a question!

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Most of the art and imagery in this course is in the public domain, or original work based on academic sources. Please see below for any exceptions in this lesson.

Most children are fascinated by rocks and fossils. I never grew out of it! I studied geology in university, and am presently pursuing a Master's of Science in Geology. My area of study is gemstone exploration, and I read academic publications on geology for pleasure (…we're a rare breed). I'm fascinated by all aspects of Earth science. For years I've been exploring the backwoods for beautiful rocks and semi-precious gems. Geology is a deep subject that will influence your perspective on life and time; I'm here to share the highlights of what you should know about your Earth's geology!